Lunar Mystery Rock? China’s Space Probe Is Going After It!

“Lunar Mystery Rock? China’s Space Probe Is Going After It!”
China is about to launch one of the most ambitious deep-space missions in history: Tianwen-2. Set to take off on May 28, 2025, this groundbreaking spacecraft will target not one—but two mysterious space objects. First up is 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, a near-Earth asteroid that could be a fragment of the Moon. Tianwen-2 will attempt to collect surface samples using multiple techniques and return them to Earth by 2027. But the mission doesn’t stop there. The spacecraft will continue to comet 311P/PANSTARRS, a rare main-belt comet with bizarre, shifting tails. It will orbit and study this hybrid object for six more years, gathering data on its structure, behavior, and composition. This dual-object mission blends cutting-edge tech, planetary science, and space strategy, and it may reshape what we know about our solar system’s formation and evolution.
References:
https://spacenews.com/china-to-launch-tianwen-2-asteroid-sampling-mission-on-may-28/
https://www.spacedaily.com/m/reports/China_Prepares_for_Launch_of_Tianwen_2_Asteroid_Sample_Return_Mission_999.html